'Green New Deal in the North West' report to be presented in Lancaster

The Green New Deal in the North West - which has identified five key areas of critical change needed in the region - will be presented at an open meeting on Tuesday March 10 in Lancaster.

The open public meeting at The Friends Meeting House in Meeting House Lane, from 7.30pm, will explain what The Green New Deal is and how we can tackle the climate crisis, as well as improving the local environment and reduce inequalities.

The report was written and researched by Laurence Adams on behalf of Lancaster City and Lancashire County Coun Gina Dowding, during her tenure as MEP for North West England.

Recent conversations and discussions have also focused on the idea that Lancaster could become a "hydrogen hub".

Heysham Power Station recently announced plans to build a hydrogen gas energy plant on the site.

The Hydrogen to Heysham (H2H) project, working alongside Lancaster University and other organisations, is looking at generating low carbon, low cost, local hydrogen from Heysham Power Stations.

Meanwhile, five key areas have been identified for critical change in the Green New Deal in the North West report.

These are: renewable energy supply; energy-efficient buildings; sustainable transport; a zero-carbon, circular economy; and land use, food and biodiversity.

The report outlines key opportunities and examples of best practice from across the region, setting out some of the policies that are needed to scale-up action.

Coun Gina Dowding, said: “We absolutely must lead from the front and face the many challenges that the climate crisis has presented us with.

"The next generation deserves us to urgently respond and react with solutions that include everyone, not just the privileged few.

“The Green New Deal will do just that, helping us to move to a more sustainable, zero-carbon society, decarbonisation of the economy while creating new jobs, improving health and wellbeing, whilst tackling inequality and redistributing wealth after years of austerity.

“A radical transformation, where no community is left behind ever again.”

Coun Dowding will be joined by a guest speaker from Lancaster based energy firm Nanosun, who will be talking about the role of green hydrogen in the future.